How did the fur trade change Plateau tools, clothing materials, and religious practices?

The fur trade significantly influenced Plateau Indian cultures, primarily through the introduction of new materials and the spread of religious ideas.

Material Culture and Tools

The fur trade introduced metal goods that replaced or supplemented traditional tools. While Plateau peoples historically crafted items from stone, bone, horn, and antler, the availability of metal through trade led to the adoption of metal knives, arrowheads, hide scrapers, and cooking vessels. Additionally, the trade brought items such as blankets, beads, and cloth into the region.1

Clothing

By the 19th century, Plateau clothing styles shifted to resemble those of the Plains. While early reports described bark-based garments, Plateau peoples increasingly adopted:2
* Men: Breechcloths, leggings, and shirts.2
* Women: Dresses and leggings.2
* Accessories: Feathered ceremonial regalia, headbands, and other headgear became common.2
* Decoration: The use of beadwork became a prominent feature of clothing decoration.1

Religious Practices

The fur trade facilitated the arrival of trappers from the east, including Iroquois men who practiced Roman Catholicism. These individuals propagated Christianity, leading many Plateau groups to seek out missionaries. By the 1830s, this influence contributed to the development of syncretic religious movements, such as the Prophet Dance, which emerged partly in response to the devastating impact of epidemic diseases.3